As the trial run of growing studies targeted towards dance music culture, SFX has launched its new Audience Insights Group. The medium will be used to further understand fans, their interests, attitudes and behavior, and will provide greater insight as to how marketers can more effectively connect with the dance music crowd. It should be noted, however, that SFX’s studies are representative of 437 Beatport users only, and may find hiccups down the road with such a narrow testing pool.

Audience Insights Group’s first report, titled The Electronic Music, Technology and Youth Culture Study, re-confirms the notion that millennials see EDM as a “culture” and “a way of life,” rather than simply a genre of music. Whitney Miller, Ph.D., Director of Consumer Insights for SFX, commented on the findings, “What we found was that EDM represents youth ideals of connection to others, the use of innovation and overall emotion.”

Nearly 50% of Beatport users agreed that EDM “is a way of life” and 95% concurred that “it has created a culture that’s bigger than music itself.” An impressive 93% also affirmed that “it’s a defining aspect of my generation.”

As for the role that smartphones play at events? Unsurprisingly, 79% admitted to taking photos or videos at shows, whereas 51% of Beatport users actively seek to find out who that artist is or what track he/she just played, while at events. There is also an even split between people do and don’t post to social media during a gig — Facebook and Instagram being the top two platforms.

Most intriguing about the study is electronic music’s ability to sway our attitude toward brands, events and more. 93% of Beatport users reveal that they “appreciate when brands help bring them great events,” and 87% say that they have a “more positive perception of a brand knowing that it’s associated with electronic music.”

“What this means is that brands need to understand this audience, not try to control it,” explained Matt Britton, founder and CEO of MRY.

Now that SFX and its partners have more traction, electronic music enthusiasts will either find their new marketing tactics to be engaging, or at their worst, invasive. When companies feel the need to intensively study their audiences, it is difficult not to wonder: are we people, or a product?

Via: BusinessWire

Read More:

SFX Chairman Robert Sillerman moves to buy back shares and privatize company

Yahoo picks up Simon Cowell’s DJ competition show, will premiere via Yahoo Screen

SFX Entertainment to re-launch Beatport, add streaming service in 2015

 

Tags: audience insights group, sfx

Categories: Music